By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 17 – Drilling can be expected to start within 2 months at giant Pungarayacu heavy oil field on Block 20 in Ecuador, said Ivanhoe Energy Inc., Calgary.
Deepest of the wells can be expected to go to no more than 1,500 ft.
Consulting engineers reviewed data from 27 wells Petroproduccion drilled in the 1980s and estimated the original oil in place range at 4.3-12.1 billion bbl with a most likely 6.4 billion bbl. At Ivanhoe Energy’s request, an expected recovery factor was not estimated.
Crude oil gravity in the 250 sq mile field is commonly held to be 10-11° gravity, but Ivanhoe Energy said it has geological indicators that the oil might be lighter than that.
US Department of the Interior.
File photo from PDVSA..
